Originally Posted by
Junkman2008
Actually, this is only true with SOME vinyl stripes. If you look at the vinyl stripe industry, it is a versatile and the quality ranges just as detailing products do. For example, I can wet sand a scratch out of a 3M clear bra but not the cheaper imitations. The 3M clear bras can heal when working on them. Try this with a crappy quality clear bra and all you will end up with is a dull mess.
The vinyl industry is the same way. Some vinyl you can work on, some you can't. Any vinyl decal with a matte finish cannot be worked on without causing them to become shiny. That's a no-no for those who want their ride to remain authentic.
Personally, I mask off the edges of the stripes with painter's tape as f86sabjf suggested. I don't want that disgusting build up of polish or wax up against my stripes. If you attempt to clean that, you end up causing premature raising of the stripes. That looks even worse. So my personal suggestion when dealing with stripes is to either don't, or consult with the stripes manufacturer as to how to deal with them. They are the only authority who can best tell you what works with their stripes. If you don't know the manufacturer, leave them alone.